Silane modified fluid for mems stiction reduction

Abstract

This disclosure provides devices and methods of reducing stiction during a fluid-filling process. A device can include two substrates with movable MEMS components on at least one of the substrates. The device can include a fluid between the two substrates and surrounding or at least partially surrounding the movable MEMS components, where the fluid can serve as a lubricant for the movable MEMS components. The fluid can be a liquid solution doped with a surface energy modifier, where the surface energy modifier includes a nonpolar functional group R. In some implementations, the nonpolar functional group R can be selected from the group consisting of: alkyl, aryl and naphthenic.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a first substrate;   a second substrate opposite the first substrate;   a plurality of movable MEMS components over the second substrate;   a fluid between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounding the movable MEMS components; and   a seal for bonding the first substrate and the second substrate and enclosing the fluid in the device, wherein the fluid includes a surface energy modifier, the surface energy modifier including a nonpolar functional group R.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the nonpolar functional group R is selected from the group consisting of: alkyl, aryl and naphthenic. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the surface energy modifier includes a silicon atom, the nonpolar functional group R and a hydrolysable group R′, wherein the hydrolysable group R′ is selected from the group consisting of: alkoxy, acyloxy, amine and chlorine. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the surface energy modifier is selected from the group consisting of: phenylethyltrimethoxysilane (PETMS), octyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS), phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTS), dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DDTMS), dodecyltriethoxysilane (DDTES), phenethylalcohol (PEA), octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), trichlorocyclohexylsilane and diisopropyldimethylaminooctylsilane. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the surface energy modifier is between about 0.5 volume percent and about 5.0 volume percent of the fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first substrate includes an aperture plate and the second substrate includes a MEMS substrate, an inner surface of the MEMS substrate having a higher surface energy than an inner surface of the aperture plate. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the surface energy modifier is capable of reducing the surface energy of the MEMS substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the movable MEMS components includes at least one of a silicon, a nitride, an oxide and a metal. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid includes an organic solvent. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the surface energy modifier is dissolved in the organic solvent. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the surface energy modifier forms an interfacial layer between the organic solvent and a surface of the movable MEMS components, the interfacial layer capable of reducing friction between the organic solvent and the surface of the movable MEMS components. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the interfacial layer includes polar silanols facing the surface of the movable MEMS components and nonpolar functional group R facing the organic solvent. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the movable MEMS components includes a shutter in a shutter-based MEMS light modulator. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display;   a processor capable of communicating with the display, the processor being capable of processing image data; and   a memory device capable of communicating with the processor.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a driver circuit capable of sending at least one signal to the display; and   a controller capable of sending at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an image source module capable of sending the image data to the processor, wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, transceiver and transmitter.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an input device capable of receiving input data and communicating the input data to the processor.   
     
     
         18 . A device comprising:
 a first substrate;   a second substrate opposite the first substrate;   a plurality of movable MEMS components over the second substrate, wherein a surface energy of a surface of the movable MEMS components is greater than a surface energy of the first substrate;   a fluid between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounding the movable MEMS components, wherein the fluid includes:
 a solvent; and 
 means for modifying a surface energy of the surface of the movable MEMS components, the surface energy modifying means including a nonpolar functional group R; and 
   a seal for bonding the first substrate and the second substrate and enclosing the fluid in the device.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the nonpolar functional group R is selected from the group consisting of: alkyl, aryl and naphthenic. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the surface energy modifying means includes a silicon atom, the nonpolar functional group R and a hydrolysable group R′, wherein the hydrolysable group R′ is selected from the group consisting of: alkoxy, acyloxy, amine and chlorine. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the surface energy modifying means is selected from the group consisting of: phenylethyltrimethoxysilane (PETMS), octyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS), pehnyltrimethoxysilane (PTS), dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DDTMS), dodecyltriethoxysilane (DDTES), phenethylalcohol (PEA), octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), trichlorocyclohexylsilane and diisopropyldimethylaminooctylsilane. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the surface energy modifying means is between about 0.5 volume percent and about 5.0 volume percent of the fluid. 
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing a device, comprising:
 providing a first substrate;   providing a second substrate, the second substrate being opposite the first substrate;   forming a plurality of movable MEMS components over the second substrate;   bonding the first substrate to the second substrate; and   filling the device with a fluid between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the fluid surrounds the movable MEMS components and includes a surface energy modifier, the surface energy modifier including a nonpolar functional group R.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the nonpolar functional group R is selected from the group consisting of: alkyl, aryl, and naphthenic. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the surface energy modifier is between about 0.5 volume percent and about 5.0 volume percent of the fluid. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the surface energy modifier in the fluid prevents stiction between the movable MEMS components and the first substrate or the second substrate during filling. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 annealing the device to a temperature greater than about 100° C.